


Birthdays

by Saleen_93



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-17 11:00:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12364275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saleen_93/pseuds/Saleen_93
Summary: About Erwin's Birithday





	Birthdays

Today he woke up knowing that the day had arrived. Concious as well that it would pass eventually, he still wasn't prepared to go trough it. In comparison with the last days, today all the other things seemed much more secondary, however secondary a new queen on the throne or managing to guarantee supplies and a relative stability for the legion could be.  
Some years ago, on this day Mike would come into his office and started with a discoruse not so much typic for him: ''I was reviewing this documents, and I happened to notice that today is your birthday. Even if maybe it's too late, let me give you my wishes".  
''It is not late, so well, thank you'' said he in response, caught by surprise.  
''So, what is it, do you refuse to acknowlege that you are becoming an old man?'' Said Mike. Sometimes he liked to joke. Or maybe, there had never been the time and force to do so. ''I seem to remember that the last time we celebrated was when you turned on your twenties''  
Never he would imagine that someone could remember. But Mike knew him since the trainee days, so it wasn't very strange. Normally at that time, to celebrate their friends' special days, they used to go all together to a bar and the celebrated one had to drink a number of glass of alchol corresponing to his new age. A recurrence that actually never went far. Instead it turned out that they would spare this amount of glasses among themselves. And everyone was satisfied so. People watched them with dismay, but to some extent it was meant to be like this: the sense of not caring about what others may think, and just enjoy what they liked and what they shared. Sometimes Erwin felt uncomfortable about this, of being free to have nice times. The sensation of it not being right did stir in his chest and mind.  
Once his father told him that the meaning of birthdays was to add on an ideal list all the new things that one had experienced and learned of the even little world they were living in, and to stop for a moment to reflect on how fortunate they were to go through the good as well as the the difficult situations, because it was normal to meet them on the way. But life had gone a bit too differently, making him depart from that kind of peace. He had then grown tending not to talk of the imminence of these recurrences. Normally these were supposed to be occasions of relax or joy. Things he imposed himself to avoid, things he forced to believe he could not have access to. But mostly, time made it all fade away, and all he could end up thinking of was and amplified sense of uneasiness.  
''You caught me in flagrance, friend. '' he smiled nonetheless. ''Some things is better for them to be kept hidden''.  
''But you are on your thirties now, too early to start worrying'' Mike wasn't sure if there was something else in that last statement of his comrade.  
''The thing is, at some point we are no longer children, and celebrate is no longer for people of our age, I guess. We have duties, and birthdays are nothing but a day like all the other ones'' he said,standing in front of the winodw, watching outside.  
''I expected nothing else from you''. And they turned on their business.

Now he was alone in the same office were he shared that conversation with who had once been his friend. If he was still here, it would be nice to joke about how old they both became. Mike's birthday was almost close to his. Suddenly his stream of thoughts was interrupted by voices echoing beyond the closed door of his room. He was able to recognise some familiar sounds, in particular Hanji's cheerful voice, followed by ammonitions of her right hand Moblit. ''Please, don't disturb the commander, and don't scream so much!''. The sentence was made clear because Hanji opened the door and entered with her usual hilarious greetings :''Oi, Erwin, we know today is your birthday''. She was followed by Moblit, other squad leaders of the legion, now veterans, and by Levi.  
''Mike once told us he wanted to make a little celebration for this day, since years ago he missed it, and last year we were outside walls..'' She started lowering her voice, but if she was getting sad, no one seemed to notice, as she went on: ''Actually not everyone, all of a sudden, remebered we had to do something, it was..'' 

''And that's why I wanted to get rid of the extra bunch of tea I have been keeping for so long''  
This time Hanji was interrupted by Levi. Everyone looked at him.  
''I don't need it'' said Levi, as to justify his talking. Erwin seemed amused, and looked at him as if to say ''So basically you are giving me back what I provided you''. For all response Levi looked around, disinterested.  
''Look, I brought you a rare book. The journalists who I met and worked with during the operations helped me to access to the library of the Capital. I took a bunch of books, and I think you might like this one'' said Hanji.  
The book was a novel, and Erwin liked to read stories. ''Thank you Hanji, I will read as soon as I can''  
''But squad leader Hanji'' said Moblit, worried ''If you take something from the library, you have to give it back''  
''Don't worry, the journalists guarantee for me'' said Hanji.  
''You are irrecoverable'' was everything Levi could say. Again, Erwin was brightened by this exchange of jokes among his comrades. It all was happening so fast he had no time to interiorize.  
Then, looking at the door ''Oh, so you came too''. They all turned their gaze toward the door, where a man was standing. It was Nile, holding a basket of apples. What a strange present, everyone seemed to think.  
''Oh, ehm..yes. Happy birthday'' said he, a little embrassed. ''Those are of fine quality. Marie found them and advised me to bring them to you'' He said.  
''Yes, of course, who would not bring a bunch of apples for a present. We all should have thought about it before'' It was Levi again who talked. But Erwin remebered quite well what that present meant. A dear memory of the past. Nile wasn't a person who freely showed his soft sides, he had to admit.  
''Ease off, Levi. Don't you see how beautiful they are? Must be delicious'' said Erwin in response, while picking one apple from the basket, looking at Nile with a thankful gaze. ''Here, look'' and threw it towards Levi, who catched it ad studied it.  
Now they all stayed together and as time passed, they joined in various conversation. For a moment, that moment, he felt at ease. If gates were closed by one side, it didn't mean they could not be opened on the other one by the plain warmth of friends. He guessed it was something he could not control, for how much he could try to keep it away. All he could think of doing was to show his gratefulness, so he took a bottle of wine from the drawer and offered it to his friends. Moblit seemed refreshed  
''You were hiding this one from us?'' Said Levi.  
''No, I was waiting for the right moment. Thank you all for being here, I appreciate it''. They all smiled as to say he didn't have to worry. Levi's smile mixed up with the ones of the others. Even if slightly hinted, his was probably the most meaningful. 

Someone on a long past distance, sitting in the in-between, was smiling. ''So, you learned something again, after all eh..''

**Author's Note:**

> I imagined how he could pass this day.  
> As always, please forget my english.


End file.
